Auxiliary ladder step



April 26, 1960 E. e. WILLIAMS AUXILIARY LADDER STEP Filed Dec. 9. 1957 INVENTOR 5 72/ 6'. l VIY/I'a m5 ATTORNE Y United States Patent AUXILIARY LADDER STEP Estel G. Williams, Cleveland, Tex. Application December 9, 1957, Serial No. 701,449

2 Claims. (Cl. 182-120) The present invention relates generally to ladders and more specifically to detachable auxiliary steps therefor.

Ladders of the conventional type containing rounded rungs between extended side rails are extremely uncomfortable to people who must utilize such ladders to reach extended locations for any length of time. Oftentimes, serious physical harm results to the feet and legs due to the poor support provided by the ordinary round ladder rungs bearing on concentrated areas of the feet.

These rungs are also dangerous in that they provide no horizontal extended surface on which the foot may be supported, as evidenced by the many accidents which have takenplace due to a persons foot slipping off the rounded rung surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary step which is adapted to be supported by a rung of a ladder between the side rails thereof.

It is a further object to provide such a step which, when mounted, is interlockingly engaged with the side rails of the ladder to prevent movement in any direction of the installed step.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a step which is relatively easy to make, which provides a flat substantial surface upon which a person may stand without fear of injury due to slippage from the platform, and which is more comfortable when used over extended periods of time.

A further object is to provide such a step which is simple to operate and easy to install upon a given ladder, which is made of low cost materials such as wood, plastic, metal etc. and which is adapted to be easily removed and placed in a different position either above or below' the original placement. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in the light of the following description, reference first being made tothe drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one form of auxiliary step of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view looking down upon the top or tread surface of another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the undersurface of the platform of Fig. 2 showing the nature of the hinged lock plates by which the platform is secured to a ladder.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that there has been provided a detachable ladder step comprising a flat tread surface 1 which is provided with lateral extensions generally indicated at 2.

These lateral extensions comprise the main extension bodies or flange members 3 having forward facing surfaces 4 and forward extending flanges 5.

Located beneath tread member 1 is base element 6. This base element is provided with two rearwardly extending flanges 7 and 8 and with laterally extending flanges 9 and 10.

Integrally formed with and extending from the bottom surface of tread plate 1 is flange 12 which is adapted ice to be inserted into the notch formed by rearwardly extending flanges 7 and 8 on base element 6. A pivot pin 12 serves to pivotally secure base element 6 and tread plate 1 together in a hingelike mounting by extending through flanges 7, 8, and 11.

Secured to each lateral edge of base element 6 are lock plates 13 and 14. These lock plates are each provided with inwardly extending flanges designated 15 and 16 on lock plates 13, and 17 and 18 on lock plate 14. Pivot pins 18 and 19 extending through flanges 15, 16, and 10 in lock plates 13 and 17 and 18 and 9 regarding lock plate 14 serveto pivotally secure the lock plates to the base element in a manner similar to that in which tread plate 1 is secured thereto.

Each of the lock plates 13 and 14 is provided with laterally extending flanges 20 through 23. In the case of flanges 20 and 23 it will be seen that these flanges extend from the lock plates of which they form a part with the upper surfaces thereof coplanar with the upper surfaces of plates 13 and 14 respectively. It will also be noted that the forward facing surfaces 24 and 25 on flanges 20 and 23 respectively are slanted in such a manner as to form a coplanar surface with forward facing surfaces 4 on flanges 3. This coplanar surface is adapted to engage or press upon the rearward surface of a ladder rail which is engaged between flanges 20, 21 and 22, 23 respectively on either side of the step. Flange 21 extends upwardly out of the plane of the top surfaces of lock plates 13 and 14 so as to extend above the upper surface of tread plate 1 when the ladder is folded down into the use position. This upwardly extending flange is designated as 26 on flange 21 and 27 on flange 22. It will also be seen that flanges 21 and 22 are provided with rearwardly facing surfaces 28 and 29 respectively which are parallel to the surface formed by the forward facing surfaces 4, 24 and 4, 25. These surfaces 28 and 29 are adapted to engage or press upon the forward surfaces of the side rails of a ladder upon which the step is placed.

Operation In operation or placement of the step shown in Fig. 1 upon a ladder, the tread surface 1 is folded upwardly into a vertical position while lock plates 13 and 14 respectively are allowed to drop downwardly. The device is then ready to be inserted into the space provided between the rails of a ladder which will in no case be narrower than the width of tread surface 1. The lock plates are folded up and as they are so folded the side rails of the ladder are engaged in the notches provided by flanges 20 and 21 in lock plate 13 and 22 and 23 in lock plate 14. Manifestly, as the lock plates fold up into horizontal position the rails of the ladder will be firmly engaged in the notch which prevents either forward or rearward movement of the step. Tread plate 1 is simultaneously folded down into its substantially horizontal position and presses upon the upper surfaces of lock members 13 and 14 and base element 6 to prevent the upward or hinged movement of these members.

Reference now being had to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that there is provided a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein a tread plate 30 has flange structures 31 and 32 extending from the rearward lateral surfaces thereof on each of the lateral sides of the treadplate. Flange structure 31 is preferably formed integrally withthe tread plate 30 and has a lower surface 33 which is coplanar with the bottom surface ofthe' tread plate. The top surface 34 of flange 31 is raised above and is parallel to the planar surface of the tread plate. Connecting these two surfaces is forward facing wall 35. which is adapted to press upon the rearward surface of the rails of a ladder upon which the device is placed... Also provided is flange 36 which extends forwardly from.

face .35 and together with the lateral edge of the tread plate forms a notchinto whichladder side rails may be placed.

.Flange structure 32 is formed in precisely the same manner :and need not be described in detail.

.As best seen in 'Fig. 3 the auxiliary step has beenprovided with a base element'37 which .is formed, in this case, integrally ;with the tread'plate and consists of.a generally I-shaped structure having strength ribs protruding ;from,the base elementand extending toward the corners of the lower surface of the tread plate. These strength ribs are denoted as 38 and 39 respectively. Formed as part of the I-shaped base element are cross members 40.

Lock plates 42 and 43 respectively are provided which consist of generally planar members having flanges extending from the outer ends thereof. In regard to lock plate 42 these end flanges aredesignated at 44. It will be evident that there areno-tches in the end of each lock plate formed by the; flanges 44, these notches being designated 45. These notches are adapted to receive and engage theside rails ofthe ladder upon which the plate is placed in amanner which will hereinafter be described.

Formed in the lower surfaces of lock plates 42 and 43 respectively are channels 46 and 47 which cooperate with corresponding channels formed in. the cross bars of the I member base elements to engage upon the upper surface of a ladder rung upon which the step is placed.

Lock plates 42 and 43 are secured pivotally to the base element 37 in a manner similar to the way in which the lock plates are assembled to base element 6 in the embodiment shown in Fig. l. Specifically pins 48 and 49 extend through the flanges in the lock plates and the cross bars of the I-shaped members to pivotally secure the lock plates to the base element.

Operation of the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3 In operation the device operates similarly to the step disclosed in Fig. 1. Before the step is inserted into the space between the rails of a ladder the lock plates are allowed to fold or pivot downwardly which allows the tread plate to be inserted within the space between the rails of the ladder, at which time the lock plates are lifted upwardly as the plate descends upon the rung and as they approach a horizontal relation parallel to the tread surface the outer notches formed in the lock plates engage the side rails of the ladder to prevent forward or rearward movement. of the flange and lock plate surfaces the tread plate device is attached to a ladder in a manner Which will prevent forward, lateral and rearward'movement thereof and which enables the plate to be placed upon the rung of a ladder in a secure manner which cannot be removed except by concentrated effort of a person interested in changing the position of the plate.

It will also be seen that the more weight is placed upon the tread surface of the auxiliary step the more solid it will become afiixed to the ladder upon which it is placed, thus providing a much safer step than has been heretofore known.

Another advantage of this step construction is that the tread plate surface can be substantially extended in a manner to provide a greater area for holding tools, paint Thus it is seen that by operation.

,4 buckets, fixtures and the like. It is also obvious that the upper surface of the tread members 1 and 30 may be provided with upwardly extending flanges around their peripheral edges to prevent such equipment from sliding olf the plate surfaces.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided an auxiliary step which is readily adapted to be placed upon a ladder in such a manner that as more weight is placed upon the step it will become more securely affixed to the ladder.

It is obvious that .many materials may be utilized in making the auxiliary step of the invention, the only limitation being strength of-the material and cost thereof. It has been found that plastic, metal or wood materials may be advantageously used with the step preferably being made of some light strong metal such as cast muminum being especially desirable.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto, as many variationswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and-the invention is to be given the broadest interpretation within the terms of the following claims. Y

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A detachable ladder step adapted to be supported by a rung of a ladder between the side rails thereof, comprising, a tread plate, a base element, said base element constituting a flat planar member which is hingedly secured to said tread plate along the rearward edge thereof, and first and second lock plates, each of said lock plates pivotally secured to opposing lateral edges of said base element, said lock plates each having a notch on the outer edges thereof adapted to receive the side rails ofa ladder, and said tread plate being of a width substantially greater than the width of said base element and disposed to cover said base element and the areas of hinged securement bet-ween said base element and said lock plates when swung to a position parallel to said base element.

2. A detachable ladder step as in claim 1 in which said tread plate is provided with lateral extensions adjacent the rearward edge thereof, formed integrally therewith, each of said lock plates being provided with forward and rearward integral lateral extensions said tread plate lateral extensions disposed in alignment with said rearward lateral lock plate extensions, the forward facing surfaces of said tread plate lateral extensions and the corresponding surfaces of each of said lock plate rearward lateral extensions forming coplanar surfaces when said step is in operating position, the notches formed in said lock plates by the lateral extensions therefrom adapted to receive the side rails of a ladder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,285,817 Sklar Nov. 26, 1918 1,615,135 Putnam Jan. 18, 1927 1,760,803 Wirth May 27, 1930 2,103,603 Voigt Dec. 28, 1937 2,726,901 Newman et al Dec. 13, 1955 2,730,412 Yoder Jan. 10, 1956 

